Blast furnace probe



Sept. 8, 1964 J. A. CAMPBELL BLAST FURNACE PROBE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 24 1962 INVENTOR. JOHN A. cAMF aELL By A Harney P 1954 J. A. CAMPBELL 3,147,621

BLAST FURNACE PROBE Filed Sept. 24, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR. JOHN A. CAMPBELL Attorney United States Patent 3,147,621 BLAST FURNACE PRGBE John A. Campbell, Yardley, Pa., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Sept. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 225,819 6 Claims. (Cl. 73-343) This invention relates to a blast furnace probe and more particularly to such a probe for insertion within the stack of an iron producing blast furnace in order to provide information relating to gas and solids distribution so as to permit adjustments of the burden, hot blast temperature, wind volume and the like. The blast furnace burden consist of ore, coke and limestone with pieces that may range in size up to 6 inches. This material presents considerable resistance to the movement of the probe into and out of the furnace. I have found that continuous rotation of the probe will enable it to penetrate the burden readily but complicates the connections from outside the probe to the probe. Without any rotary movement a large horizontal driving force is necessary to overcome the resistance. I have found that oscillating the probe through a small arc such as 10 will ease the insertion and the withdrawal of the probe by working aside the obstructing pieces.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a blast furnace probe which is inserted horizontally into the furnace and which can be oscillated as it moves into and out of the furnace.

This and other objects will be more apparent when read in conjunction with the following specification and attached drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of the probe and its support in place on the wall of a blast furnace;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation of the probe and its driving mechanism shown with the support of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken on the line IIIIII of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken on the line IVIV of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a view taken on the line VV of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a view taken on the line VI-VI of FIG- URE 1; and

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 6.

Referring more particularly to the drawing reference numeral 2 indicates the wall of a blast furnace having the usual steel shell 4. While only one probe is shown it is preferred to use four probes spaced 90 apart around the periphery of the furnace at a vertical location at about 7 ft. below the stock line. An opening 6 is provided through the wall 2 and shell 4, a tube 8 is inserted therein, and the opening around the tube sealed with plastic fireclay. A steel ring 10 is welded to or otherwise fastened to the shell 4. A circular opening 12 is provided in the ring 10 for rotatably receiving a support 14 which is made of a self lubricating material such as A.S.T.M. A-339 Nodular Cast Iron. A rectangular opening 16 is provided in the support 14 for receiving a rectangular probe 18 which may be of the type shown in the copending application of Kennedy, Serial No. 89,165, filed February 14, 1961. The support 14 is held in place against a shoulder 20 by means of a ring 22. A valve body 24 is bolted to the ring 18 and holds the ring 22 in position. A quick operating gate valve 26 is mounted in the valve body 24.

A support 28 made of material similar to that of support 14 is provided at the outer side of valve body 24. A rectangular opening 30 is provided in the support 28 for receiving the probe 18. An outwardly extending radial flange 32 is provided on the exit side of support 28. A member 34 having spaced flanges 36 and 38 surrounds the support 28 with the flange 36 being bolted to the valve body 24 and the flange 38 hearing against the flange 32. A plate 40 bears against the outside of flange 32 and is bolted thereto and to an L-shaped member 42 made up of a plurality of segments. Packing 44 is provided between flange 36 and valve body 24 and packing 46 between plate 48 and support 28. Thus, the support 28 is held from longitudinal movement, but is free to rotate with plate 48. Packing 44 and 46 prevent leakage of gas from the furnace.

The plate 40 has an extension 48 on which is pivotally mounted one end of a rod 50. The other end of rod 50 is pivoted eccentrically to a disc 52 which is rotated by a motor 54 through a gear reducer 56.

The outer end of probe 18 is surrounded by a thrust bearing 58. The probe 18 includes piping 60 for carrying cooling water, gas samples and thermocouples. The probe may be moved into and out of the furnace by means of cable drives, hydraulic cylinders, self propelled cars or the like. The apparatus of the above mentioned Kennedy application is shown for this purpose and includes a carriage 62 having wheels 64 thereon which is supported by rails 66 for movement toward and away from the furnace. The thrust bearing 58 is mounted on said carriage 62 for movement therewith. The ends of a chain 68 are attached to the top of the carriage 62. The chain 68 passes around an idler sprocket 70 arranged above and between the tracks 66 at the outer end thereof and a drive sprocket 72 arranged at the forward or furnace end of the tracks 66. A sprocket 74 supports the upper run of chain 68 intermediate the sprockets 7 0 and 72. The sprocket 72 is driven by a motor 76 through a gear reducer 78.

In operation, with the gate valve 26 closed, the forward end of the probe 18 will be supported by the support 28 and the carriage 62 will be in remote position as shown in FIGURE 2. When it is desired to obtain furnace gas analyses and temperature readings the valve 26 is opened and the motor 76 energized so that the carriage62 is pulled forwardly by the chain 68 and the probe 18 will move toward the furnace. The gate valve 26 and motor 76 may be inter-connected so that the valve 26 will be opened before the forward end of the probe 18 reaches it. This may be done by having valve opening means, not shown,-

start in operation with the energization of the motor. Alternatively the valve actuating means may be actuated by a limit switch. As the point or forward end of the probe 18 passes through support 14 into the furnace, motor 54 is started manually or by means of a limit switch, not shown. This causes plate 40 to oscillate through a small angle such as 10 and since the support 28 oscillates with it and since there is a non-circular connection between probe 18 and support 28 the probe 18 will also oscillate through 10. The oscillation of the probe 18 will work aside the obstructing pieces in the burden, thus permitting the probe to move easily into its final position in the furnace. When the probe reaches the final position of penetration the motors 54 and 76 will be stopped either manually or automatically. When it is desired to withdraw the probe, the motors 54 and 76 are energized so as to cause oscillation and withdrawal of the probe. As soon as the furnace end of the probe leaves the furnace the oscillation will be stopped and as soon as the furnace end of the probe passes the valves 26, the valve 26 will be closed either manually or automatically and the movement of the carriage 62 will also be stopped.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for determining conditions within a blast furnace comprising an elongated probe having a noncircular cross section, said furnace having a substantially horizontal opening through the wall thereof for receiving said probe, a guide having an opening shaped to receive said probe and communicating with said horizontal opening, a valve on the exit side of said guide, a rotatably mounted guide on the exit side of said valve, said rotatably mounted guide having an opening shaped to receive said probe, means for oscillating said rotatably mounted guide and means for moving said probe through said guides into and out of said furnace.

2. Apparatus for determining conditions within a blast furnace comprising an elongated probe having a noncircular cross section, said furnace having a substantially horizontal opening through the wall thereof for receiving said probe, a guide having an opening shaped to receive said probe and communicating with said horizontal opening, a valve on the exit side of said guide, a supporting member connected to the exit side of said valve body and having a circular opening therethrough, a guide rotatably mounted in said circular opening, said last named guide having an opening therethrough shaped to receive said probe, a radial flange on the exit side of said last named guide, a plate bearing against the exit side of said radial flange, means securing said plate to said radial flange for movement therewith, means for oscillating said plate and last named guide, and means for moving said probe through said guides into and out of said furnace.

3. Apparatus for determining conditions within a blast furnace comprising an elongated probe having a noncircular cross section, said furnace having a substantially horizontal opening through the wall thereof for receiving said probe, a guide having an opening shaped to receive said probe and communicating with said horizontal opening, a valve on the exit side of said guide, a supporting member connected to the exit side of said valve body and having a circular opening therethrough, a guide rotatably mounted in said circular opening, said last named guide having an opening therethrough shaped to receive said probe, a radial flange on the exit side of said last named guide, a plate bearing against the exit side of said radial flange, means securing said plate to said radial flange for movement therewith, an extension on said plate, a rod having one end pivotally mounted on said extension, a rotatable disc, means pivotally connecting the other end of said rod eccentrically to said disc, means for rotating said disc, and means for moving said probe through said guides into and out of said furnace.

4. Apparatus for determining conditions within a blast furnace comprising an elongated probe having a noncircular cross section, said furnace having a refractory wall and steel shell, said refractory wall and steel shell having a substantially horizontal opening therethrough for receiving said probe, a ring attached to said steel shell around said opening, a guide having an opening shaped to receive said probe mounted in said ring, a valve body having one side connected to said ring, a gate valve slidably mounted in said valve body, a rotatably mounted guide on the exit side of said valve, said rotatably mounted guide having an opening shaped to receive said probe, means for oscillating said rotatably mounted guide, and means for moving said probe through said guides into and out of said furnace.

5. Apparatus for determining conditions within a blast furnace comprising an elongated probe having a noncircular cross section, said furnace having a refractory Wall and steel shell, said refractory wall and steel shell having a substantially horizontal opening therethrough for receiving said probe, a ring attached to said steel shell around said opening, a guide having an opening shaped to receive said probe mounted in said ring, a valve body having one side connected to said ring, a gate valve slidably mounted in said valve body, a supporting member bolted to the exit side of said valve body and having a circular opening therethrough, a guide rotatably mounted in said circular opening, said last named guide having an opening therethrough shaped to receive said probe, a radial flange on the exit side of said last named guide, a plate bearing against the exit side of said radial flange, means securing said plate to said radial flange for movement therewith, means for oscillating said plate and last named guide, and means for moving said probe through said guides into and out of said furnace.

6. Apparatus for determining conditions within a blast furnace comprising an elongated probe having a noncircular cross section, said furnace having a refractory wall and steel shell, said refractory Wall and steel shell having a substantially horizontal opening therethrough for receiving said probe, a ring attached to said steel shell around said opening, a guide having an opening shaped to receive said probe mounted in said ring, a valve body having one side connected to said ring, a gate valve slidably mounted in said valve body, a supporting member bolted to the exit side of said valve body and having a circular opening therethrough, a guide rotatably mounted in said circular opening, said last named guide having an opening therethrough shaped to receive said probe, a radial flange on the exit side of said last named guide, a plate bearing against the exit side of said radial flange, means securing said plate to said radial flange for movement therewith, an extension on said plate, a rod having one end pivotally mounted on said extension, a rotatable disc, means pivotally connecting the other end of said rod eccentrically to said disc, means for rotating said disc, and means for moving said probe through said guides into and out of said furnace.

No references cited. 

2. APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING CONDITIONS WITHIN A BLAST FURNANCE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED PROBE HAVING A NONCIRCULAR CROSS SECTION, SAID FURNACE HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL OPENING THROUGH THE WALL THEREOF FOR RECEIVING SAID PROBE, A GUIDE HAVING AN OPENING SHAPED TO RECEIVE SAID PROBE AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID HORIZONTAL OPENING, A VALVE ON THE EXIT SIDE OF SAID GUIDE, A SUPPORTING MEMBER CONNECTED TO THE EXIT SIDE OF SAID VALVE BODY AND HAVING A CIRCULAR OPENING THERETHROUGH, A GUIDE ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CIRCULAR OPENING, SAID LAST NAMED GUIDE HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH SHAPED TO RECEIVE SAID PROBE, A RADIAL FLANGE ON THE EXIT SIDE OF SAID LAST NAMED GUIDE, A PLATE BEARING AGAINST THE EXIT SIDE OF SAID RADIAL FLANGE, MEANS SECURING SAID PLATE TO SAID RADIAL FLANGE FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH, MEANS FOR OSCILLATING SAID PLATE AND LAST NAMED GUIDE, AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PROBE THROUGH SAID GUIDES INTO AND OUT OF SAID FURNACE. 